Electrical signal system for electric cars.



No. 808,182. PATENTED DEO.2&,1905.v

E. J. ADAMS. ELECTRIC SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC CARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.6, 1905,

UNITED srngns EDWIN J. ADAMS, OF WACO, TEXAS.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC CARS.

Application filed March 6, 1905. Serial No. 248,643

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

To all whorrt fr nuu concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN J. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at aco, in the county of McLennan, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signal Systems for Electric Cars; and I do hereby declare the fol lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to signal systems for electric railways, and it has for its obj cot the provision of a system wherein there will be employed in addition to the feed conductor or conductors signal conductors or wires divided into blocks and so arranged in connection with signal lamps at the ends of the blocks and on the cars, respectively, that a car in moving through a block will establish electric circuits that will cause a danger signal or lamp to be lighted at the end of the block ahead of the car and a caution si nal or lamp to be lighted at the end of the bTock behind the car, while a signal-lamp will be lighted within the car if another car moving in the opposite direction enters the same block, at which latter time a signal-lamp will be lighted on each car.

A further object of the invention is to provide a system wherein supplemental signalcircuits may be automatically brought into electrical relation with a feed-conductor at any desired point along the railway to give a special signal.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing my invention embodied in an overheadtrolley system. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the invention embodied in an underground-trolley system wherein the feedconductors are in the form of contact-rails and there is a continuous metallic circuit. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the three-wheeled trolley employed in the system illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a system wherein signal-lamps are lighted on two cars when they are in the same block and traveling toward each other.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 3 thereof, 5 represents an ordinary railwaytrack, above which there is supported in the usual manner a trolley -wire 6. At each side of the trolley-wire there is hung a signal-wire divided into sec* tions or blocks, one of these signal-wires comprising the sections a and a, while the other comprises the sections 1) and b. or sections a and a are to indicate the location of a car traveling to the right, which car is shown at 7, while the sections 1) and b are for a car traveling to the left, and which car is shown at 8. The left-hand ends of the wires a and a are equipped with green lamps 9 and 10, respectively, while the right-hand ends of the same sections are equipped with red lamps 11 and 12, respectively, there being arranged a reflector 13 between the lamps and 11, which hides the lamp 11 from the left and hides the lamp 10 from the right. To the right of the lamp 9 is a reflector 14 and to the left of the lamp 12 is a reflector 15. At the left-hand end of the conductor 6 is a red lamp 16 and at the right-hand end of the same conductor or wire a green lamp 17. A red lamp 18 is at the lefthand end or the wire I) and a green lamp 19 is atthe right-hand end of the said wire. A reflector 20 is arrangedto hide the lamp 17 from the left and the lamp 18 from the right. A reflector 21 is arranged to hide the lamp 16 from the right and a reflector 22 is arranged to hide the lamp 19 from the left. There are shown also parts of signal-wire sections 0 and c, overlapping the sections a and a, respectively. The section 0 includes a lamp 23 at the opposite side of the reflector lafrom the lamp 9, while thesection 0 includes a lamp 24 at the opposite side of the reflector 15 from the lamp 12. There are also shown wire sections d and 01, corresponding to the sectionsc and c, respectively. The section (1 includes a lamp 25 at the opposite side of the reflector 21 from the lamp 16, while the section d includes a lamp 26 at the opposite side of the reflector 22 from the lamp 19. The lamps 23 and 26 are red lamps, while the lamps 24 and 25 are green lamps. The lamps 16, 18, and 26 are red lamps, as also the lamps 23, 11, and 12, while the lamps 9, 10, 17, and 24 are green.

The car 7 is provided with a trolley-arm 30, the lower end of which is connected by a wire 31 with the car-motor 32, from which the circuit is through the wheels33 to the track 5. At the upper end of the arm is a trolley-wheel 36, that bears against the wire 6. The trolley-arm 30 has a supplemental The Wires IIO arm 34, which supports a roller 35, that bears against the under side of the wire a when. the car is in the block illustrated or against the wires or sections a, a, a, or a when the car is in the corresponding block. The roller 35 is electrically connected at all times with the trolley-arm 30, so that current is conducted from the trolleywire 6 through the wheel 36 and roller 35 to the corresponding signalwire at the left of the trolley-wire and. which signal-wire in the diagram shown is indicated at a. The group of four lamps at the ends of the sections a, b, c, and d are connected to a rail of the track 5 by a ground-wire 37 while the group of lamps at the adjacent ends of the sections a, l), a, and l) are connected to a rail of the track 5 by a ground-wire 38. The group of lamps at the adjacent ends of the sections a, b, c, and d are connected to the track 5 by a ground-wire 39. Thus with the car 7 in the position illustrated current flows from the trolley-wire 6 through members 36, 34, and 35 to the wire a and thence through lamps 9 and 11 and wires 37 and 38, respectively, to the ground. Thus is lighted a green or caution signal behind the car and a red or danger signal ahead of the car for warning cars approaching a block from corresponding directions. The car 7 is equipped also with a signal-lamp 39, one terminal of which is connected by a wire 40 with. the bracket 41, carried by and insulated from the trolley-arm 30, and which bracket supports a contact-roller 42, that is illustrated as bearing against the wire 6, this roller being designed to make contact with the wires (Z, l), b, and (1, depending upon the block in which the car 7 may be. The lamp 39 is lighted by a current from the wire 5 when the latter is energized by a car moving in the opposite direction from the car 7 and enter ing the same block. To accomplish this result, each car is equipped in the same manner and the circuits are as follows: The car 8 has a motor 43, one terminal of which is connected through a car-wheel 44 to the track, while the other terminal is connected to a trolleyarm 45 through a controller 46. At the upper end of the arm 45 is a trolley-wheel 47, that bears against the wire, and there is a supplemental arm 48, having a roller 49 corresponding to the roller 35 and bearing against the wire I). A bracket 50 is carried by and insulated from the arm 45 and has a roller 51 corresponding to roller 42 and bearing against the wire a, the bracket 50 being connected by a wire 52 with a lamp 53 and thence to the ground through the wheel of the car 8. In the position shown the lamp 53 is not lighted while current flows from thc.trolleywire 6 through wheel 47, arm 45, supplemental arm 48, roller 49 to wire I), and thence through lamps 18 and 19 and ground-wires 38 and 39, respectively, to the track 5, thus lighting the red light 18 at the head of the ear and the green light 19 at the rear of the car, it being understood that the car 8 is moving to the left. If the car 7 is in the block illustrated and the car 8 enters the same block, then there is established a circuit from the wire 6, through arm 45 and supplemental arm 48 and roller 49, to the wire I), and thence through roller 42, bracket 41, wire 40, and lamp 39, wheels of the car 7, and to the ground or track 5. The wire a is at this time energized, as above described, and. the roller 51 engaging the wire a there is a flow of current through the roller 51, bracket 50, wire 52, and lamp 53 to the wheels of the car 8, and thence to the track 5 or ground. Thus both lamps 39 and 53 are lighted and the motormen of both cars are signaled.

In order to give a special signal along the track, such as at a deep cut or railroad-crossing, supplemental signal-wires e andf are arranged above the track 5 and in a diagram herewith are illustrated in position for contact by the rollers 35 and 42, respectively, when the car 7 is traveling to the right and by rollers 42 and 35, respectively, when the car is traveling to the left. hen the car is traveling to the right, the wire 6 is energized from the roller 35, which, as above described, gets its current from the trolleywire 6 through the arm 30, the trolley-wheel 36, and the supplemental arm 34. Between the wire a and the track 5 is connected. a lamp 54, which is illuminated by a current passing from the wire a to a track. When the car is traveling to the left, the roller 35 runs against the wire f, with the result that the lamp 55, connected between said wire and the track 5, is illuminated. WVhen the cars travel into the other blocks, the corresponding lamps are lighted.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings there is shown an underground system wherein there are arranged in the conduit the conductor-rails 5 and 6, corresponding to the track 5 and trolley-wire 6, respectively, and there are also employed signal conductor-rails or signalrails corresponding to the signal-wires illustrated in Fig. 1. The signal-rails include each sections, the sections of one signal-rail being indicated at A, A, C, and C, while the sections of the other conductor-rail are shown at B, B, D, and D. At the righthand end. of each of the sections C, A, and A are arranged red lamps 23, 11, and 12, respectively, and at the right-hand ends of the sections D, B, and B are arranged green lamps 25, 17, and 19, respectively. At the left-hand end of each section A, A, and C is a green. lamp 9, 10, and 24, respectively, and at the halt-hand end of each section B, B, and D is a red lamp 16, 18, and 26, respectively. The lamps 23, 9, 25, and 16 are connected, through a wire 37, with aconductorrail 5. Thelamps 11, 10, 17, and 1.8 are connected by wire 38 with the conductorrail 5, and the lamps 12, 24,19, and 26 are connected by wire 39 with the conductorrail 5, so that when each of the signal-rail sections is energized from the conductor-rail 6 the lamps connected between the ends of that section and the conductor-rail 5 will be lighted.

At each end of Fig. 2 there is illustrated a car equipment, (indicated generally by the reference-numerals 7 and 8'.) The car 7 is provided with two plows, one of which has contact-plates 33 and 36, which bear against the conductors 5 and 6, that correspond to the track and the trolley-wire in the diagram in Fig. 1. The plate'33" is connected by wire 33 to the motor 32, the other side of the motor being connected, through a controller 31 and wire to the plate 36 in the usual manner.

, The second plow of the car 7 has a contactplate 42, that bears against the rail B, and a contact-plate that bears against the rail A; A plate 42 is connected by wire with a switch-point 61, while the plate 35 is connected by wire 62 with a contact-point or switchpoint 63. From the wire 60 extends a wire 65 to a contact-point 66, while a wire 67 extends from wire 62 to a contact-point 68. From the wire 33 there extends a wire 40 around the motor 32 to a lamp 39, which is connected by wire 70 with a switch-lever 71, and from the wire 30 there extends a wire7 2 to a switch-lever 7 3. The switch-lever 7 1 is designed to rest upon either of the switch-points 61or 63, While the lever 73 is designed to rest upon either of a the points 66 or 68. The switch-levers are illustrated as resting on the points 61 and 68, respectively, so that the signal-rail A is in circuit with'the feed or power rail 6 to be energized therefrom, while the lamp 39 is in circuit between the signal-rail B and the power-rail or feedrail 5. The two circuits are as follows: conductor-rail 6, plate 36, wire 30, wire 72, switch-lever 73, wires 67 and 62, and plate 35. to signal-rail A. The lamp-circuit is sigrial-rail B, plate 42 .wire 60, lever 71,Wire 70, lamp 39, wire 40, wire 33, plate 33, and conductor-rail 5. Thus the signal-rail A being energized from the conductor-rail 6current will flow from it through lamps 9 and 11 and wires 37 and 38 to the conductorrail 5, thus lighting the lamps, the red lamp ahead of the car and the green lamp behind the car. Furthermore,'if the conductor B is energized the lamp-circuit will be energized, so that the lamp 39 on the car 7 willbe lighted. This results only when the car 8 comes into the same block'as the car 7, so as to approach it fromthe opposite direction. The car 8 connects the signal-rail B with the conductor-rail 6 when the car enters the same block with the car 7 through the medium of circuits described as follows: The car 8 has two plows, one of which includes the contact-plate 44, hearing on rail 5, and a contactp-late 47, bearing on the rail 6. The plate 47 is connected by wire 45 with the controller 46, and thence to the-motor 43, from which extends a wire 75 to the plate 44. The second plow of the car 8 comprises a contact-plate 49, that bears on the signal-rail B, and a contact-plate 51, that bears on the signal-rail A. The plate 49 is connected by a wire 48 with a switch-point 76, and from the wire 48 extends a wire 77 to a switchlever 78, that is designed to rest upon a switchpoint 79, that is connected by a wire 80 with wire 45, that leads to the plate 47 against the conduotorrail 6. A wire 81 leads from the plate 51 to a switch-point 82, and from the wire 81 extends a wire 83 to a switchpoint 84. The switch-lever 78 is movable from point 79 to 83. A switch-lever 85, movable from point 82 to 76, is connected, through a lamp 53 and wire 52, with the wire 7 5, and thence to the plate 44 and conductor-rail 5. With the switch-lever 85 on the point 82 and the lever 78 on the point 79, which are the proper positions when the car is moving to the left, the signal-rail B is energized from the conductor-rail 6, through the plate 47 wire 45, Wire 80, lever 7 8, wires 77 and 48, to plate 49, and conductor-rail B. The result is that there is a flow of current from the rail B, through the lamps 18 and 19, and the wires 38 and 39, respectively, to the conductor-rail 5. At the same time the lamp 53 on the car 8 is in circuit between the signal-rail Aand the conductorrail 5. The circuit is: rail A, plate 51, wire 81, switch-lever 85, lamp 53, and wires 52 and 75, to plate 44, and rail 5. When the car 8 enters the same block with the car 7, its plate 51 moves onto the signal-rail A, which is energized from the conductor 6, as above described, so that there is a flow of current from signal-rail A to plate 51, wire 81, switch 85, lamp 53, wires 52 and 75, and plate 44, to rail 5, so that the lamp 53 is lighted and shows the presence of an approaching car in the same block. At the same time the contact-plate 49 has run onto the rail B and energizes the rail, the plate 49 being in circuit with the plate 47 on the conductor-rail 6, as hereinbefore described. On the car 7 there is then a flow of current from the signal-rail -B to plate 42, wire 60, switch 71, wire 70, lamp 39, and wires 40 and 33 to plate 33, and conductor 5, so that the lamp 39 is lighted, showing that car 8 is approaching in the same block.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings there is shown a simple signal system for indicating upon two cars approaching from opposite directions the fact that they are thus approaching in same block. In this system represents a trolleywire, and f and 9 represent two sections of a signal-wire, while represents the track, on which are located two cars 97 and 98. The car 97 has a trolley-arm 99, provided with a wheel 100, that runs on the wire 90, and the arm 99 carries a bracket 101, that is insulated therefrom and has a wheel 102, that runs on the signal-wire sections and in the present diagram is on the section The car 97 is provided with a motor 103, which is connected with the wheels in the usual manner and also through a controller 104 to the trolley-arm. Switch-points 105v and 106 are provided for alternate contact by a switchlever 107, which is illustrated as resting on the point 105, and a lamp 108 on the car is connected between the point 105 and the bracket 101. The point 106 is connected by a wire 109 with the wheels 11.0 of the car. The motor-circuit is from wire through wheel 100,arm 99, controller 104, motor 103, and wheels 111 to track 95. There is also a circuit from arm 99 through lever 107, lamp 108, bracket 101, and wheel 102 to signalwire section The car 98 has a trolley-arm 112, provided with a wheel 1 13, that bears on the wire 90, and extending from the arm 112 and insulated therefrom is a bracket 114, having a wheel 115, that contacts with the signalwire and is shown on the section g. Connected with the arm 112 is a controller 116, between which and the wheels 117 of the car is connected a motor 118. A switch is provided comprising points 119 and 120, and a switch-lever 121, the lever being shown on the point 120, which is connected by wire 122 with the wheels 123. Between the lever 121 and the bracket 114 is connected a lamp 124. In this diagram it will be noted that the wire is energized from the trolley-wire 90 through the wheel 100, the arm 99, switch 107, lamp 108, bracket 101, and wheel 1.02, and that if the car 98 enters the block with the car 97 the wheel 115 will run onto the signal-wire section f, and the latter will be grounded through the wheel 115, bracket 114, lamp 124, switch-lever 121, wire 122, and wheels 123 to the track 95. Both lamps will then be in series in a shunt-circuit around the motor between the trolley-wire and the ground, and both lamps will be lighted.

In the diagrams in Figs. 1 and 2 a set of lamps is shown at a switch or turnout, it being understood that they may be disposed where desired along-the track.

What is claimed is 1. In a railway signal system, the combination with a feed-conductor, a return-conductor and a signal-conductor, of cars each having a trolley engaged with the feed-conductor and a trolley engaged with the signalconductor, means for propelling each car, a lamp carried by each car and having one terminal connected with the trolley that engages the signal-conductor, and means for connecting the opposite terminal of the lamp interchangeably with the other trolley and the return, the signal-conductor being divided into sections insulated from each other.

soais I 2. In a railway signal system, the combination with a feed-conductor, a return-conductor, and signal-conductors, the latter of which are divided into sections, of a lamp at each end of each of said sections connected between it and the return-conductor, a car, and means carried by the car for connecting the sections of one signal-conductor successively in circuit with the feed-conductor when going in one direction and for connecting the sections of the opposite signal-conductor successively in circuit with the feed-conductor when traveling in the opposite direction.

3. In a railway signal system, the combination with a feed-conductor, a return-conductor, and signal-conductors, the latter of which are divided into sections, of a lamp at each end of each of said sections connected between it and the return-conductor, a car, and means carried by the car for connecting the sections of one signal-conductor successively in circuit with the feed-conductor when going in one directionand for connecting the sec tions of the opposite signal-conductor successively in circuit with the feed conductor when traveling in the opposite direction, the sections of opposite signal-conductors lying side by side in pairs and the lamps at the same ends of a pair of such sections being oppositely colored and the lamp at one end of each section being colored diiferently from that at the other end of that section.

4. In a railway signal system, the combi nation with feed and return conductors, of signal-conductors, a lamp between each signal-conductor' and the return-conductor, a car, and means carried by the car for connecting one of said signal-conductors in circuit with the feedeconductor when going in one direction and for connecting the other signalconductor in circuit with the feed-conductor when going in the opposite direction.

5. In a railway signal system, the combination with a feed-conductor and a returnconductor, of a pair of sectional signalcon ductors, a lamp connected between each end of each section of each signal-conductor and the returnconductor, two cars, a signal-lamp on each-car, means carried by the car for connecting its lamp between one signal-conductor and the return-conductor when going in one direction and between the other signalconductor and the return-conductor when going in the other direction, and means carried by each car for connecting the feed-conductor with that signal-conductor that is not connected with the lamp on the car when the car moves in either direction.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN J. ADAMS.

Witnesses:

FRANK C. HALL, HY. E. CHANDLEE. 

